Match Report

Both sides have fallen away badly in recent weeks after enjoying splendid first halves of the season. Had this match been played seven weeks ago it could have been a title decider as both sides breathed down the neck of Burton Albion. As it was, Alty's lowest league home crowd of the season saw two out of form sides playing a game which now had no bearing on the championship. The sides had also met in the FA Cup, in which Alty had won a memorable encounter at the Giant Axe.

The severely understrength Robins were a little unfortunate to take nothing from this game having taken the lead when Hulme lashed the ball home after good work from Hawes (30 mins). Lancaster were gifted an equaliser by a poor pass by Maddox five minutes later. Butler put Lancaster ahead after 50 minutes from close range before Craney mis-hit an equaliser (54 mins) when Murphy nodded back Thompson's cross.

Against the run of play, an unmarked Birks headed home a Lancaster corner after 80 minutes to settle the game. Altrincham are literally limping to the season's finish line with keeper Stuart Coburn unable to take goal kicks throughout this match and Kevin Hulme playing on gamely with a heavily strapped left knee. They have now won just one game in the last fifteen over the last seven weeks.

Altrincham took to the field in a patched-up state. Goalkeeper Stuart Coburn returned after missing the last game through injury. Kevin Hulme started up front despite wearing a very heavy bandage on his left knee, whilst the suspension of Dave Swanick meant that loan player Gareth Strange started for the first time for Altrincham at right-back rather than in his customary midfield berth. Striker Rod Thornley was missing on international duty as masseur to the England squad, preparing for their match with Paraguay at Anfield. However, Danny Murphy made a welcome first start for seven weeks after his hernia operation and Youth team player Lee Thompson made his league debut, though playing on the right flank rather than his customary left-wing Youth Team berth.

On the bench were two more Youth players, Mario Daniel and Vernum Rowland, along with Paul Taylor, who has not played since 2nd March because of injury. Lancaster had their own problems with regulars Andy Whittaker and Kenny Mayers both only fit to be named as substitutes.

Despite their weakened state, Altrincham started brightly, though Sertori gave the crowd an early scare when he dribbled across his own penalty area in the first minute. However, the imposing Alty centre-back got the ball clear and, via Lee Poland, it subsequently came to Murphy, who entered the Lancaster box but curled his shot just over the bar (2 mins). Soon afterwards Poland played a fine cross in from the left but this was cleared before Craney and Hulme combined to win an Altrincham corner on their left. Poland's kick was cleared before a low shot from Welch rolled to Coburn at the other end (5 mins). Alty then put together a good move with Craney and Poland interchanging passes and then Murphy relayed the ball to the unmarked Hulme.

A fit Hulme would probably have gone for goal but, only some 12 yards out, he laid the ball left to Poland, whose effort was blocked (7 mins). Despite the support from his knee bandage, Hulme was clearly hobbling even at this early stage. He was soon involved again, however, when Sertori brought the ball forward to Craney. Hulme neatly flicked the ball to Craney who went superbly forward, past a defender, only for keeper Thornley to advance smartly to drive the Alty midfielder left of goal and win a goal-kick for Lancaster (9 mins). Next, a long range shot from Welch was straightforwardly dealt with by Coburn at the 20/20 End before Lee Clitheroe spotted the Alty keeper off his line and from more than 20 yards fired in a shot which Coburn could only watch smack against his crossbar and rebound to safety (11 mins).

Lancaster now came more into the game and Welch won a corner off Maddox on the left. Sertori headed this clear only for Kilbane to shoot and win a second corner. However, Poland soon went past two men before shooting wildly over the bar at the Golf Road End (16 mins). The entertainment continued with Coburn catching comfortably a 25 yard free-kick from Kevan (20 mins). The Alty keeper was noticeably trying to throw the ball out or make short kicked clearances to avoid further damage to his injured leg. The lively Craney then won the ball and, via Hawes, got it to Poland.

In the linesman's view, Lee had won a corner, but Mr Lomas overruled him and awarded a goal-kick. Hawes, too, was battling well in midfield, and he won the ball to give Poland a crack at goal but Lee's volley flew just over the bar as the whistle went for offside (21 mins). The first stoppage for treatment came after 24 minutes when Thornley's kick clear accidentally struck Hulme's damaged leg. Danny Murphy was also having a lively re-introduction to league action and he fed Craney, who went past Holliday to feed Poland. Poland's well-struck shot from 25 yards hit Thornley's left upright but Hulme was given offside from the rebound, which had screwed across the face of goal (28 mins).

Another Craney surge came to nothing but Altrincham got the goal their play had deserved on the half hour. Hawes did well in midfield and advanced before playing the ball, left, to Hulme, who lashed it home from 10 yards (30 mins). Murphy nearly added a second soon afterwards when Poland's cross from the left just evaded his head. Soon after this Poland needed treatment on the other side of the pitch after being injured when tackled. However, Alty then gifted Lancaster an equaliser as Coburn played the ball out short, once more, to Maddox.

The Alty centre-back directed a forward ball straight to Welch who, from the edge of the box simply passed the ball smartly into the net. Coburn either thought the shot was going to go wide or quickly judged that he could not get back across goal to stop it as he made no dive for the ball, which struck the inside of his left post and entered the net for a soft equaliser (35 mins). Craney continued to have a fine game and responded to the equaliser by surging forward and putting in a great shot which was well tipped over the bar by Thornley (36 mins). The corner was cleared but Craney had another good moment before the interval, exchanging passes with Thompson before shooting over the bar from twenty yards (44 mins). Although the interval score was only 1-1 it could easily have been a higher scoring half.

Lancaster came out strongly in the opening period of the second half though their first shot, from Potts, ended up in Golf Road behind the goals. Thornley then dropped the ball under a challenge from Murphy but recovered to field the ball safely (48 mins). However, Lancaster soon advanced up the left through Holliday and Brown, before Clitheroe passed the ball to his right where he found Butler unmarked in the six yard box. Butler completed the straightforward task of scoring (50 mins). There was another scare after the re-start when Ryan lost the ball on the Alty left and Sertori had to head across his own goal to clear for a corner.

This corner, from the left, was instantly followed by one from the right which ended as a goal-kick to Alty. Coburn then had to save well from a Welch shot (53 mins). However, Alty then got down the right and from near the by-line Thompson's good cross found Murphy beyond the back post. He nodded the ball back for Craney who, though he hit his effort into the ground, managed to find the net for the equaliser from 15 yards (54 mins).

There then started a bizarre sequence of changes of footwear by Alex Kevan, who firstly removed both boots and played on in stockinged feet for a minute or so before coming to the sideline to fit a replacement pair. It was a good job he was not tackled by Mark Sertori in the interim! As this happened Hulme fed Poland, who shot over the target (56 mins). Lancaster then enjoyed some possession which ended with a Butler shot fielded by Coburn (59 mins). Despite his injured state Hulme then got in a bicycle kick which was only narrowly wide (62 mins) before Kevan again changed his boots (63 mins).

For the second time in the game Mr Lomas gave a corner to Lancaster when there appeared to be more of a case for a goal-kick but from this, Brown put the ball over the Golf Road terrace roof (64 mins). Coburn was now allowing Maddox and Sertori to take his goal-kicks. It was from a surge forward by Sertori that the impressive Craney almost scored a spectacular goal. The ball came from Sertori via Hulme to the young midfielder whose excellent turn took him past two defenders in centre-field and his flashing shot from 25 yards hit the top of the crossbar (66 mins). Kevan now changed his boots for the third time at the side of the pitch before a Poland shot from 20 yards cleared the bar. A 20-yarder from Welch was then fielded by Coburn.

After a collision between Murphy and Thornley, the Alty man needed treatment and at this point Lancaster top scorer Andy Whittaker came on to replace Potts (71 mins). Alty then won two successive corners as they looked the more likely side to break the deadlock. With the substitutes' number-boards in his hands, Alty physio Gary Thompson now shouted for "Reg" and Kevin Hulme responded to his nickname to be substituted by Mario Daniel up front (74 mins). From a well struck free-kick by Strange, who had a sound game at right-back, Murphy's goalbound header was tipped away from the top corner by Thornley for a corner.

Murphy again won a header from the corner but this time his effort looped over the bar (75 mins). A sustained passing move by Lancaster then produced nothing but a goal-kick for Altrincham. After Hawes had turned neatly in midfield he was tripped by the new boots of Kevan, 35 yards out, but nothing came of this. Kenny Mayers came on at this point for Butler (78 mins) before Lancaster won a corner on the right off Steve Hawes, though the Alty midfielder made a plausible case that it had gone out off a Lancaster player. From the corner on the right, Birks was left unmarked and he headed home cleanly from 10 yards (80 mins). Immediately, Thompson gave way to Rowland on the right of the Alty midfield. In the closing stages Lancaster won a corner (85 mins) as Alty were unable to find any openings for an equaliser.

Altrincham were unlucky to take nothing from this game. Considering the changes in personnel in their side, they showed a lot of effort and struck the Lancaster goal framework twice. Man of the Match Ian Craney and Steve Hawes had good games in midfield and Gareth Strange adapted well to his new position whilst Kevin Hulme showed his worth by scoring despite his limited mobility. Danny Murphy also looked lively and has lost none of his heading ability after his operation. It was unfortunate that Coburn's injury meant that many balls which he would have normally cleared with a lengthy kick were played short to colleagues, which slowed the Alty build up and added to the pressure on the defence.

Though a record of one win in their last fifteen league and cup games is woeful by any yardstick, the supporters at Moss Lane are appreciative of the difficulties under which the team is labouring and there has been no barracking of the team or management. With four of the remaining five fixtures being against sides above Altrincham in the table, the side's resilience is set to be tested still further before the season ends. At that stage, as the message from the Board in tonight's matchday programme clearly states, there will be a need to find "at least £50,000 ... in order to survive".

To see how you can help the Club secure its future, please read and respond to the Board's proposals which can be found here. One bright note at tonight's game was the announcement that Carole Nash Insurance, who sponsored the match, had agreed to a three year sponsorship input to the Club. All supporters of Altrincham will be very grateful to Carole's company for that.